Snap operating mechanism



y 17, 1932- v H. E. HODGSON 1,858,242

SNAP OPERATING MECHANI SM Filed April 6, 1931 Emma:

Patented May 17, 1 932 UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE E. HODGSON, O l WAUWA'I'OSA, WISdONSDT, ASSIGNQB TO CUTLER-HAMMER, INC, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 01' DELAWARE SNAP OPERATING ME Application filed April 6,

This invention relates to improvements in snap operating mechanism for devices such as electric switches.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved quick acting operating mechanism for devices such as electric switches which is of sturdy construction and which comprises a relatively small number of parts capableof cheap manufacture and ready assembly.

Another object is to provide an electric switch having an improved operating mechanism associated therewith whichprovides for operation of the switch between given circuit controlling positions with a snap action and which also serves to positively lock the switch in either of such positions.

Another object is to provide an improved switch of the toggle operated type which il adapted to be actuated by a traveling nut or similar device.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter ap ear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fi re 1 is a front elevational view of a switc having an operating mechanism embod ing the invention associated therewith;

igs. 2, 3 and 4 are views similar to that shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the operating mechanism in different positions.

' Fig. 5 is a plan view of certain of the parts of the switch operating mechanism. shown in Fi 1, and

1g. 6 1s a side elevational. view of one of the sets of switch contacts shown in Fig. 1.

- Referring to the drawings, the same illustrates a control switch including a movable contact element 1 which is provided with bridging contacts 2 and 3 arranged to cogaperamithdtwo airs of stllitionla3 dconcts an ive y. r1 ging contacts 2 and 3 ard meldingly secured to the upper face of an insulating bar 6 by a spring pressure device 7 of the constructionshown in Fig. 6 and the bars 6 are secured 1931. Serial Iva-mm.

to opposite ends of a lever 8 which is rotatably mounted intermediate its ends upon a shaft 9. Shaft 9 is supported at opposite ends by a U-shaped bracket 10 and the lower end of said bracket carries an insulating plate 11 upon which the stationary contacts 4-4 and 5-5 are mounted.

Contact element 1 has an operating mechanism associated therewith including an operating member 12, a pair of similar toggle joints 13 and 14 and a spring pressure device 15. Operating member 12 -is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 16 which is supported at opposite ends by bracket 10, and as hereinafter set forth said operating member when moved in opposite directions between given extreme positions acts through the medium of the to gle joints 13 and 14 and spring pressure evice 15 to effect rotation of contact element 1 in opposite directions with a snap action.

More specifically the toggle joint 13 includes a bell crank lever 18 and a link 19, while toggle joint 14 includes similar parts designated b reference characters 18 and 19". The be crank levers 18 and 18 are each' provided with arms 20 and 21 and said levers are rotatably mounted upon shaft .16 and are arranged in opposed relation upon op osite sides of cam member 12 as shown in ig. 5. The lower ends of the links 19 and 19" are pivotally secured to lever 8 on opposite sides of shaft 9 by pins 22 and each of said links has its upper end pivotally secured to the arm 21 of its associated bell crank lever by a pin 23. As shown in Fi 5, operating member 12 is provided wit arms having oppositely disposed lugs 24-24 on the ends thereof an the arms 20 of the bell crank levers have forked projections 25 on the ends thereof for receivin said lugs Also as shown in Fig. 1 each 0% the arms 20 of the bell crank levers is proprojecting vided with a pro'ection 26 which is located centric with respect to the axis of shaft 16 andbeing secured at op osite ends to the in 24 on operating mem er 12. Spring 28 is eld under compression between a air of washers 30 and 30 slidably mounte upon the rod 29 the former washer being arranged between the projections and 26 on bell crank lever 18 and the latterwasher being arranged between the projections 25 and 26 .on bell crank lever 18".

' ment of the stop pro'ections 27 thereon and contact element 1 is t us positively locked in the position shown to maintain bridging contact 2 in closed position and bridging contact 3 in open position.

Also it should be noted that with stop projections 27 in engagement as shown in Fig. 1 a force tending to move bell crank lever 18 in a clockwise direction also tends to move the bell crank lever 18 in a corresponding direction. However, as is apparent bell crank levers 18 and 18 cannot be moved simultaneously in a clockwise direction since the links 19 and 19" then produce opposing forces on lever 8. Bell crank lever 18 is therefore ositively locked against movement in a c ockwise direction out of the position shown in Fig. 1.. Thus upon rotation of cam member 12 in'a clockwise direction out of the position shown in Fig. 1 spring 28 will be compressed since the left hand end thereof is held stationary byv engagement.of washer with the forked projection 25 on bell crank lever 18 while the right'hand end thereof is moved downwardly by the right hand end of said operating member.

Upon rotation of operating member 12 7 into' the position shown in Fig. 2 washer 30 engages the projection 26 on bell crank lever 18 and upon continued movement of said operating member in a clockwise direc- A tion said washer rotates said bell crank lever in a corresponding direction through the podtion shown in ig. 3. Upon movement of bell crank lever 18 from the position shown in Fig. 2 int'othe position shown in Fig. 3 spring 28 is still further compressed and the arm 21 of said bell crank lever is' moved into alinement with the link 19.", suchmovement'resulting in a slight counterclockwise rotation of contact element 1. As is apparent, upxon rotation of hell crank lever 18 in a cloc Fig. 3- contact element 1 is wlse direction beyond the posi- .tion shown in released to permit movement thereof in a clockwise direction out of the position shown direction with a snap action by spring 28 from the position shown in Fig. 3 into the position shown in Fig. 4. Arm 21 of bell crank lever 18% then acts through the medium of link 19" to rotate contact element 1 from the position shown in .Fig. 3 into 'the position shown in Fig. 4 with a snap action to thereby move bridging contact 3 into closed position, and bridging contact 2 into open position.

With the operating mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 4 operating member 12 is rotatable in a counterclockwise direction to effect snap movement of contact element 1 from the position shown in Fig. 4 into the position shown in Fig. 1. During such'movement of operating member 12 the operation of the mechanism is the reverse of that hereinbefore described. As is apparent, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4 the toggles 13 and 14 cooperate in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1 to positively lock contact element 1 and bell crank lever 18'. against rotation in a counterclockwise direction out of the position shown. During initial movement of the operating member 12 out of the position shown in Fig. 4 the right hand and of spring 28 is held stationary by engagement of washer 30 with the forked proiection 25 on bell crank lever 18 while the aft hand end of said spring is moved downwardly by the left hand end of operating member 12. Spring 28 is thus compressed and upon engagement of washer 30 with projection 26 on bell crank lever 18 operatmg member 12 is adapted to move said bell crank lever through a position whereinarm 21 thereof is in alinement with link19. Contact element 1 is thus released to ermit rotation thereof in a counterclockwise direction and'spring28 is then adapted to act through the medium of the parts of toggle 14 to return contact element 1 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 1 with a snap action.

In the embodiment illustrated operating member 12 is designed to be actuated by a nut 31 mounted upon a screw 32. The arms of operating member 12 are provided with cam surfaces 33 and 34 having faces 35 and 36, and as .is apparent said faces are adapted to be engaged by nut 31 upon movement of the latter between the positions shown in Figs. 1- and 4to efi'ect rotation of operatin member 12 in opposite directions.

What claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a pivoted contact element,- of a pair of toggle joints associated with'said element for operating the same in opposite directions, and means including a spring pressure device for actuating said toggle joints to provide for operation of said contact member inopposite directions with a snap action.

2. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a pivoted contact element movable in opposite directions between given circuit controlling positions, of a pair of toggle joints associated with said element and connected thereto on opposite sides of the pivot thereof, each of said toggle joints being movable in one direction through its straightened position to effect movement of said contact element into one of its circuit controlling positions and to lock the same in such position, and means including a pivoted operating member movable in opposite directions to actuate said toggle joints for movement of said contact member in opposite directions between its circuit controlling positions with a snap action.

3. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a pivoted contact member requiring movement in opposite directions between given circuit controlling positions, of a pair oftoggle joints associated with. said member and connected thereto on opposite sides of the pivot thereof, each of said toggle joints being movable 1n one direction through its straightened position to efi'ect movement of said contact member into one of said circuit controlling positions and to positively lock the same against movement out of such position, an operating member movable in opposite directions to positivelv operate said toggle joints for release of said contact member in said circuit controlling positions and spring means associated with said member for actuating said toggle joints to provide for operation of said contact member in opposite directions between its circuit controlling positions with a snap action.

4. The combination with a pivoted member to bemoved in opposite directions between given positions, of a pair of toggle joints connected to said member on opposite sides of the pivot thereof, each of said toggle joints when straightened being adapted to move said member into one of said given positions and to lock the same therein and means foroperating said toggle joints to provide for actuation of said member in opposite directions between said given positions with a snap action.

5. The combination with a pivoted member movable in opposite directions between given positions, of a pa1r of operating toggles associated therewith, each of. said operating toggles being movable in one direction its straightened position to move said member into one of said given positions and to positively lock the same therein, means for positively moving either of said toggles in a direction to release said member, and

means associated with said former means for i for operating either of said toggles with a snap action upon release of the other of said toggles by said member.

6. The combinationwith a pivoted contact member movable in opposite directions between given circuit controlling positions,

, her and adapted toact upon release of said contact member by either of said toggles to move the. other of said toggles through its straightened position with a snap action.

7. The combination with a pivoted contact member movable in opposite directions between given circuit controlling positions, of a pair of operating toggles associated with said member and connected thereto on opposite sides of the pivot thereof, a common supporting shaft for said toggles, each'of said toggles being movable in one direction upon said shaft through itsstraightened position to move said contact member into one of said circuit controlling positions and to lockthe same therein, an operating member rotatably mounted upon said shaft and adapted upon rotation in opposite directions to positively actuate said toggles for release of said contact member in said circuit controlling positions, and spring means associated with'said operating member and adapted to act upon release of said contact member by either' of HOWARD E. HODGSON.

its straightened 

